Friends on Foot Ready Their Racemobile

Friends on Foot Ready Their Racemobile

It’s time to check in again with Tami and Gaby, our “Friends on Foot” who are celebrating 25 years of friendship by challenging themselves—and each other—to run each and every race in the Destination Races Half Marathon Series. Since the Santa Barbara Wine Country Half Marathon is right around the corner, we wanted to see how they’re doing!

How’s training going so far?

Gaby: I get a burst of training energy around 8:00 p.m. If only we could run the race at night! So far, my longest distance was 12.8 miles. I felt so confident when I finished that distance…but then I lay around for a week, totally zapped.

How are you feeling about the upcoming Santa Barbara Wine Country Half Marathon?

Gaby: I’m really jazzed. This week, I’m having fun decorating the “Racemobile” (my 1991 VW Vanagon), which will serve as our trusty race support vehicle and carry us in style up Highway 1 to Santa Barbara.

Tami: I’m a wee bit nervous, but I will have my Gabs with me, so all is good. Just hoping I can cross the finish line in time for wine…

What’s been the most surprising thing so far about training?

Gaby: Euphoria. I had heard about the “runner’s high,” but I wasn’t expecting to feel so good as a new runner. Even though we just started training last month, I feel so happy after running. That feeling lifts my mood for days.

Tami: I’m surprised at how hungry I am! In addition to my goal of finishing the Destination Races series, I would like to lose 30 pounds this year. I’ve not dropped a pound yet, but I just started reading Runner’s World Run to Lose: A Complete Guide to Weight Loss for Runners. I learned that I am not even close to eating the correct amount of protein, so I have increased my intake recently and I’m feeling much more satisfied and energized.

Have you encountered any really difficult moments along the way?

Gaby: Not to downplay this question, but the trickiest part so far seems to be managing all my running paraphernalia! I run at night with a pink wristband of pepper spray, a wind shirt, my house key, my phone, headphones, and a few bucks. Finding a comfy spot for all this stuff that’s not too jiggly or distracting has been a challenge.

Tami: Outside of a few pesky blisters, there have been surprisingly few tough patches. Maybe this is my calling (hahahahaha)!

How are your family and friends reacting to your adventure?

Gaby: Friends cheering us on is so encouraging! Our family and friends (old and new) are emerging to join our Friends on Foot Facebook community and following our Instagram feed, chiming in to tell us how inspiring our adventures are.

Tami: They’ve been super supportive! And now some of our friends are even signing up to join us in some of the races!

Finally…still sure you want to do this? 🙂

Gaby: Yes, because we are still naive about what it will feel like. Having never attempted a half marathon, I can still be in denial about what it actually entails!

Tami: Yep, I’m all in! I’m envisioning me and Gabs running the race and feeling strong and powerful…and laughing our tails off along the way!

You can also follow Gaby and Tami’s journey at FriendsOnFoot.blogspot.com, on Instagram @FriendsOnFoot, and on Facebook @FriendsOnFoot.